Palo Duro Dons Basketball to Team Camp

This is Head Coach Jeff Evans at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas. I am asking for your help in supporting our fundraiser for the Northside Pride Basketball club: a fundraising account started by a community supporter to raise money for the Palo Duro Boys Varsity Basketball Team. This account will allow the boys to engage in team camps and basketball tournaments in the upcoming spring and summer months by covering the expenses of registration fees and travel costs.

In my twenty-two years as head coach at Palo Duro High School, I have learned that many opportunities that exist for young adults are not as accessible for student attending high schools that serve economically disadvantaged populations. A few years ago, driven by the motivation of a Palo Duro parent, the goal of raising money for the varsity basketball players at Palo Duro to attend team camp in the summer, like so many other basketball programs around our state were doing, was embarked upon. Fundraising efforts from the last five summers raised enough for our varsity-level basketball players to participate in the University of Oklahoma Team Camp, Kansas University Team Camp, Wayland Baptist University Team Camp, University of Northern Colorado Team Camp, Fort Lewis College Team Camp (Durango, Colorado), and the Texas Basketball Championships held in Grapevine, Texas. These experiences are educational, motivational, and life-changing in allowing young men to set foot and reside on a college campus for a few days each summer. These team camps have resulted in scholarships offered to Palo Duro students, allowing them to pursue higher education without the hurdle of prohibitive tuition costs. The return on investment has certainly helped the development of our players and basketball program from an athletic perspective, but, more importantly, it has provided opportunities, insight, and motivation to the realm of possibilities that exist beyond high school.

The Northside Pride account is not a booster club or school district account. Since school districts in Texas are not allowed to provide funding for school organizations to participate in events held outside of their state-sanctioned seasons. Each team camp or tournament will cost between $2,000 and $3,000. All money raised will be spent on transportation, gas, food, registration fees, and dorm or hotel costs for the student-athletes. Coaches and/or chaperones will not be paid, operating strictly as volunteers. Any surplus funds will be forwarded to the next summer’s fundraising efforts. This year we have a goal of raising $10,000 so that our student-athletes can attend the University of Oklahoma Team Camp, the Fort Lewis College Team Camp, and the Texas Basketball Championships in Grapevine.

Your donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated! Help us spread the word by sharing this fundraiser information and the GoFundMe link on social media with anyone you feel might be interested in supporting these fine young men reach their goals…or baskets! I can be reached through email at [email redacted] to answer any questions you might have. Again, I want to personally thank you for your support. Every donation and share is greatly appreciated. Go Dons!!!